An information protection device includes: a random-contact mechanical Hall element provided with a conductive plate that has a prescribed conductive pattern, and a contact plate that is stacked on the conductive plate and that has, in an interior thereof, a connection portion partially contacting the conductive pattern; a communication line having multiple signal wires that are respectively connected to the connection portion in the random-contact mechanical Hall element; and a control unit configured to, through the communication line, monitor connection information between the connection portion and the conductive pattern in the random-contact mechanical Hall element, and determine, based on the connection information, whether or not iniquity has occurred in accordance with whether or not a connection state between the conductive pattern and the connection portion has changed from an initial setting.
Legal claims defining the scope of protection, as filed with the USPTO.
2. The information protection device according to claim 1, wherein, upon determining that iniquity has occurred based on the connection information supplied from the random-contact mechanical Hall element, the control unit erases information to be protected.
3. The information protection device according to claim 1, wherein the random-contact mechanical Hall element is formed so as to be ring-shaped, and a fastening member is inserted through a through-hole in a central portion of the random-contact mechanical Hall element.
4. The information protection device according to claim 3, wherein, in the random-contact mechanical Hall element, by rotating the conductive plate having a specific conductive pattern relative to the contact plate contacting the conductive plate, the connection state in the initial setting is made different for each random-contact mechanical Hall element.
5. The information protection device according to claim 3, wherein the random-contact mechanical Hall element is fastened to a control board containing information to be protected.
6. The information protection device according to claim 3, wherein the random-contact mechanical Hall element is fastened to a protective cover housing a circuit containing information to be protected.
Cooperative Patent Classification codes for this invention. Click any code to explore related patents in that topic.
February 21, 2019
August 23, 2022
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